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EXTERNAL
AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
Saturday, May 30, 1998
11:30 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
East Oval Room, The Rotunda
Committee
Members:
T.
Keister Greer, Chair
Charles M. Caravati, Jr., M.D.
Albert H. Small
Elsie Goodwyn Holland
Henry L. Valentine, II
Timothy B. Robertson
John P. Ackerly, III, Ex Officio
Terence P. Ross
I.
AGENDA
- I.A.
Jefferson Scholars Program as a Subsidiary of the University of
Virginia Alumni Association
- BACKGROUND:
Sponsored by the University of Virginia Alumni Association, the
Jefferson Scholars Program awards scholarships on the basis of
personal merit to approximately 20 outstanding students each year.
Criteria for selection include excellence in the Jeffersonian
ideals of leadership, scholarship, and citizenship. Scholarship
recipients receive an amount sufficient to cover the entire cost
of attending the University for four years.
- DISCUSSION:
This resolution calls for the establishment of a non-profit, non-stock
corporation to own and administer the Jefferson Scholars Program.
This body would be a wholly-owned subsidiary of the University
of Virginia Alumni Association.
- The
Policy on Related Foundations specifies further that "[t]wo University
representatives, one designated by the Board of Visitors and one
designated by the University President, shall serve as ex officio
voting members of the Foundation's governing board." The Board
of Visitors representative would be named at the October 1998
Board of Visitors meeting.
- ACTION
REQUIRED: Approval by the External Affairs Committee and the Board
of Visitors
- APPROVAL
OF THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE JEFFERSON SCHOLARS PROGRAM SUBSIDIARY
- WHEREAS,
the University Policy on University-related Foundations requires
that any related foundation seeking to establish a subsidiary
acquire Board of Visitors' approval; and
- WHEREAS,
the Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer recommends
that, in the best interests of the University of Virginia, the
Board of Visitors approve the establishment of a wholly-owned,
non-profit, non-stock, tax-exempt subsidiary to hold and administer
the Jefferson Scholars Program in accordance with the terms of
any gift instrument or restriction;
- RESOLVED
that the University of Virginia Alumni Associations ownership
of the Jefferson Scholars Program Subsidiary be approved.
- II.A.1.
Alumni Association Strategic Planning
- BACKGROUND:
In January 1997, the University and the Alumni Association agreed
to an Alumni Relations Partnership in order to work more cooperatively
on outreach to alumni, and program initiatives to strengthen involvement
by graduates in the life of the University. As part of this agreement,
the Alumni Association has presented to the President annual operating
plans for all elements of the alumni relations program. In preparation
for the operating plan for the upcoming year, and years beyond,
the Alumni Association has engaged in a strategic planning process
involving the Alumni Board of Managers, the University Development
Office, and University administrators throughout the Grounds.
The Executive Director of the Alumni Association will report on
strategic planning activities and preliminary conclusions.
- DISCUSSION:
The Alumni Association has established a strategic planning committee,
chaired by Everette Doffermyre (A&S 70, Law 73), to handle strategic
planning efforts. Several preliminary fact-finding activities
have been part of the committees work, including comprehensive
polling of the alumni population about current satisfaction with
the Alumni Association and preferences for new programs, as well
as interviews and meetings with alumni and university administrators.
Committee members have also visited or called peer institutions,
which included the University of North Carolina, Duke University,
Stanford University, and Princeton University to assess their
outreach efforts.
- The
committee has recognized several priorities that will be elements
of the draft plan. These touch on the organization of the Alumni
Association itself, as well as stronger communications with alumni,
and enhanced services. The Alumni Association plans to concentrate
efforts on building diversity in its Board of Managers, while
at the same time strengthening financial self-sufficiency through
superior asset management and higher membership participation.
Outreach to alumni may be improved by increased reliance on technology,
such as permanent e-mail, an enhanced website, and an on-line
alumni directory. Plans are being made to add board members with
technological expertise and to establish a technology committee
of the Board of Managers. Other initiatives to better serve alumni,
strengthen their loyalty and encourage their financial support
of the University include generating higher percentage participation
in reunions, reorganizing regional club structures, providing
career counseling resources and other services, and renewing focus
on across-the-board alumni representation in Alumni Association
and University boards. Finally, the Strategic Planning Committee
is anticipating Alumni Association fundraising for the benefit
of University-wide projects, most prominently an expansion of
the Jefferson Scholars Program to provide scholarships for graduate
teaching fellows.
- ACTION
REQUIRED: None
- II.A.2.
Faculty/Staff Campaign
- BACKGROUND:
The Faculty and Staff Campaign for the University of Virginia
was launched in spring 1997. The primary goal of the Faculty and
Staff Campaign has been to demonstrate strong internal support
of the overall Campaign for the University of Virginia to the
Universitys alumni and friends. Involving over 250 volunteers,
including a 35-member steering committee, the Campaign has emphasized
participation of university employees rather than overall dollars
raised. At the end of January, overall participation averaged
over 50%, with many departments showing 75-100%, and total dollars
raised reaching nearly $6 million. The Senior Vice President will
report on on-going progress for the campaign.
- DISCUSSION:
Recognizing the decentralized environment of the University, the
campaign was organized so that individual school, department or
program campaigns could be conducted under their own separate
timelines and volunteer leadership. To date, all areas have concluded
their campaigns, except for the School of Engineering and Applied
Science. Even when individual campaigns have closed, the Faculty
and Staff Campaign will continue to receive gifts until the end
of 2000.
- Among
the special projects developed to receive faculty and staff contributions,
the Faculty and Staff Undergraduate Scholarship was created to
provide a university-wide opportunity to fund a scholarship endowment
for children of university employees. The scholarship, which is
being matched one-to-one by the University, has already exceeded
its initial funding level of $50,000 to provide a partial one-year
scholarship. An admitted student for the class of 2002 has been
awarded the scholarship this spring.
- Planned
gifts make up a majority of the funds pledged, with $1.5 million
in irrevocable planned gifts, and over $3.5 million in future
support.
- ACTION
REQUIRED: None
- II.A.3.
Annual Giving
- BACKGROUND:
In 1993, the Office of Annual Giving in University Development
introduced the Rotunda Society, the first gift society to recognize
annual gifts across the University. Concurrently, a volunteer
council was enlisted to guide the University as it implemented
this new gift society. In recent years, it became evident to both
the University and to the Rotunda Society Council that the mission
of the council should be expanded to address annual giving issues
across the Grounds. During the 1997-98 year, the former Rotunda
Society Council effectively became a University-wide Annual Giving
Advisory Board. Along with this change in leadership, new energy
is being focused on setting, and tracking progress against, comprehensive
annual giving benchmarks.
- DISCUSSION:
The Annual Giving Advisory Board (AGAB) is comprised of representatives
from the schools and units which conduct regular annual fund appeals.
These representatives also are active with the schools they represent.
This new structure will improve communication, planning, benchmarking
and goal-setting (for both dollars and participation) across the
University. Under the direction of the Annual Giving Advisory
Board, the Office of Annual Giving has worked with the schools
and units to clarify the definition of annual giving. Unrestricted
current use accounts have been identified and the Annual Giving
Office is now able to measure the progress of annual fund drives
across the University.
- By
the end of March 1998, preliminary results showed that schools
are on track to meet the $16 million aggregate year-end goal,
with $11.5 million raised to date. For the first time, the University
will be able to benchmark progress towards the $86.7 million campaign
goal for current operations.
- Along
with the change in mission, the new volunteer organization experienced
a change in leadership. Nick Wilson (A&S 52), who served as the
Chair of the Rotunda Society Council and led the transition to
an Annual Giving Advisory Board, has been succeeded by Lucien
Bass (Engineering 63, Darden 65) as AGAB chairman.
- ACTION
REQUIRED: None
- II.B.
Philanthropic Cash Flow
- BACKGROUND:
This report will be a statistical review of fund-raising cash
gifts received for the period July 1, 1997 March 31, 1998. Emphasis
will be placed on measuring performance compared to Fiscal Year
1997 and the previous three fiscal years.
- DISCUSSION:
The most recent audited report on cash flow status is through
March 31, 1998. The April report will be completed prior to the
Board of Visitors meeting and will be used as the basis for the
public presentation by the Vice President for Development.
- Cash
flow for March 1998 was $8.4 million. Year-to-date totals now
stand at $105.3 million, already exceeding the $100 million cash
flow goal for Fiscal Year 1998. These totals also exceed Fiscal
Year 1997 cash flow for the same period by $28.5 million or 37%.
- ACTION
REQUIRED: None
- II.C.
Campaign Progress Fiscal Year 1998
- BACKGROUND:
The capital campaign is the on-going focus of University of Virginia
fundraising activities. The campaign progress report through March
31, 1998, will provide a benchmark for charting overall campaign
progress.
- DISCUSSION:
At March 31, 1998, the campaign total raised to date stood at
$700.8 million, with $635 million in gifts and pledges and $65.8
million in future support. The April 1998 report will be completed
prior to the Board of Visitors meeting and will be used as the
basis for the public presentation by the Vice President for Development.
- ACTION
REQUIRED: None
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